FOEAGE-CEOP EXPEEIMEXTS AT SAX AXTOXIO. 25 



difficult to plow, requiring four heavy mules hitched to a sulky 

 plow to break the land in the spring. This may be an objection to 

 its being gro^^al on a large area^ unless the roots are allowed to decay 

 before plowing. In the coast country it is being gi'o^\Ti quite exten- 

 sively and the reports show it to be a valuable pasture and hay grass. 

 If the field is not irrigated for a season it is said that there is no 

 difficulty in plowing the land. 



The plat of Para grass just mentioned was transplanted m field 

 D3 in Februar}^, 1909, but was not irrigated that year. In 1910 

 this plat received eight irrigations and a hay yield of 4.65 tons was 

 obtained. 



Guinea grass {Panicum maximum) has also been tried and appears 

 to be somewhat more promising than Para grass. The plat was 

 treated the same way as the plat of Para grass and in 1910 gave a 

 jdeld of 5.29 tons per acre in two cuttings. This grass sets seed 

 freely, while Para grass has not been known to seed in this countr}". 

 On the plat of guinea grass the stand was very thm in 1909, but in 

 1910 there was an excellent stand brought about by the grass reseed- 

 ing itself. (PL IV, fig. 2.) 



In July, 1910, a one-eleventh-acre plat was planted to Rhodes-grass 

 {CMoris gay ana), which made a very satisfactory growth. From two 

 cuttings 4.5 tons per acre of very excellent hay was obtained. 



0^\'ing to the somewhat severe winter of 1910-11 the spring stand 

 of grass from all these plats was very poor, as they had been badly 

 winterkilled. As this has not happened before, there is no reason 

 for maldng an adverse report on any of the varieties until more 

 extensive trials have been made. 



MINOR FORAGE CROPS. 



Six varieties of lentil {Ervum lens) were planted in February, 1908. 

 None of the varieties tested gave promise of sufficient value to war- 

 rant extensive experimentation. 



MUNG BEANS. 



In the spring of 1908 two varieties of urd {Pliaseolus max), S. P. I. 

 Nos. 16129 and 17309, and one variety of mung bean {Pliaseolus 

 radiatus), S. P. I. No. 16793, were tested. While these beans proved 

 somewhat more promismg than some other leguminous plants tested, 

 they did not show indications of equaling either cowpeas or stizolo- 

 biums, and so were discarded. 



CHICK-PEAS. 



In March, 1908, seven varieties of chick-peas {Cicer arietinum) were 

 tested. These varieties seem not to be adapted to this district. 



[Cir. 106] 



